Mermaid
A mermaid or merman (pl. merfolk, or specifically mermaids and mermen) is a legendary aquatic creature with the upper body of human and the scaly tail and fins of fish. Description Despite their stunning beauty, mermaids are extremely dangerous and they have the power to decide the fate of any ship they come across. Merfolk are related to the sirens and are very similar. In most myths, merfolk use the combined power of their beauty and voice to lure men into the sea, either to bring them down to live in the merfolk realm to quell their loneliness or to drown them out of humour or spite. Some merfolk are benevolent and have been known to rescue drowning humans, while others are monstrous and have a taste for human flesh and blood. Sometimes a mermaid will fall in love with a human. However, the land and sea are two different worlds. Tales of mermaids who tried to overcome this great divide usually end in sadness and heartbreak. Known examples are The Little Mermaid, Pania of the Reef and Ondine. Physchology Mermaids are mysterious beings whose nature varies from mermaid to mermaid. A common mermaid trait is vanity. They often perch on the rocks to comb their flowing curls and love to gaze upon their fair reflections. They are also proud and easily offended. They can become very vicious when angered. A princess was nearly destroyed because her mother claimed she was fairer than the mermaids. Some mermaids are as cold as fish and act icy towards other beings. This does not extend to their own kind as they care deeply for each other. When one is hurt, many mortals, including the offender pays the price. Mermaids are strong, independent and powerful beings but they can be benevolent. Some rescue mariners from the drowning and others fall in love with humans. Mermaids are more curious about the world above than mermen and will shed their true form to dance on the beach or attend human festivals. Though they can be very cruel, merfolk always help those who have helped them. Those who have dealings with the merfolk do so at their own peril. They can also live fore more than 300 years. Appearance Both mermaids and mermen are a hybrid of human and fish with the heads and torsos of humans and the lower bodies and tails of sea creatures. Mermaids are exceptionally beautiful with pearly, glass smooth skin with a strange luminescence, coral coloured lips and shining eyes of ocean blue or green. Soft, silky hair flows down their backs in slight or many waves like the sea or thick curls like seaweed. Mermaids vary greatly in appearance and colouring but they all possess an enchanting and other-worldly beauty. Mermen are considered less attractive compared to their female counterparts but many have a fearsome and intimidating beauty with cold eyes, powerful muscles and skin as cold as a fish's with a greenish tinge. Just beneath the belly button, a mermaid's body becomes akin to the body structure of manatee or blue whale but slimmer and elegant. Most tails are at least two metres long or more and end in huge, horizontal and semi-transparent flukes. A short dorsal fin runs down the length of their tails. Like a fish, their tails are covered in shimmering, iridescent scales. For mermaids, scales cover them from their waists to their fins, replace their fingernails and cover their breasts while scales coat a merman's entire body. Thin and translucent webbing connects their fingers. Merpeople vary greatly in colour with scales ranging in hue from blues, greens and violets to reds, coppery-orange and golden-amber. Mermen generally have cold-coloured scales while mermaids can be any hue. Powers and Abilities * S'uperhuman Strength' – Mermaids are considerably stronger than a muscular grown man due to living at such great depths. Humans are generally powerless when attacked by a mermaid. However, their upper body strength is nothing compared to the power of their tails which, with a few hits can break a metal door or break through a wall of ice. One hit from a mermaid's tail fin can knock out a military frogman. * Limited Shapeshifting – Mermaids can transform into humans so that they can walk and breathe on land. Mermaids can stay human for many days, weeks, months or even years. If a mermaid gets wet when in human form, her legs will transform back into a tail. * Agelessness '''– Mermaids can live forever in a state of eternal youth, never age and are immune to all normal and supernatural diseases and cannot get injured easily nor is killing them an easy feat. * '''Fish/Cetacean Physiology – Because mermaids are part fish, they can breathe underwater for as long as they wish and dive to depths no human could withstand. They can also adapt like migrating sea creatures so they can thrive in any aquatic environment; from the Arctic to the Caribbean, from vast oceans to streams and lakes. ** Speed Swimming – A mermaid's powerful and streamlined tail and huge flukes can propel her through the roughest waters with incredible speed, grace and agility. They can swim at the speed of 600 km/h. Merfolk can engulf their bodies in bubbles and use them as a jetstream to swim even faster. Like a dolphin, their fins can propel them high out of the water. * Claws and Fangs - Some merfolk can grow claws and fangs due to being a predatory race. * Telepathy '''– Mermaids can call and communicate with aquatic creatures telepathically. This is also how they communicate with each other underwater. * '''Enchantment – Mermaids have an ability similar to a glamour but they do not have to try to use. It just flows out of them, enhancing their beauty and making them irresistible and alluring. Even in human form, people can sense there is something special about the mermaid and when she appears, all eyes turn to stare at her. A glance from a mermaid can make even the gruffest, toughest pirate's heart flutter faster than a hummingbird's wings. Sailors have drowned in an attempt to gaze upon a mermaid. * Water Manipulation – Mermaids have unlimited power over all liquids. This power can be used to help or harm. They could even be used to pull ambient moisture out of the air to form water, withstanding great water pressure, or even raise water to send it at foes in the form of tidal waves, whirlpools, water geysers, orbs and water surges or any other form they wish. One mermaid is capable of sinking a ship with one tidal wave. Anger enhances this power and when enraged, mermaids can destroy entire coastal settlements and fleets with the forces of wind and water. As well as controlling natural disasters, merfolk can prevent them. A mermaid can calm the roughest seas when calm. They can mold water like clay and make it form any shape they desire, from simple orbs, triangles and squares to a mermaid figure to a huge six-headed snake. Mermaids can also boil, freeze and transform water into a gelatinous or glass-like substance. A mermaid can grant protection from water to objects and people. They can grant humans the ability to breathe underwater and charm ships so that they never sink. * Siren Song – Mermaids can vocally emit a beautiful song that entrances men and subliminally compels them to either follow any predetermined orders given by the user in the song, or to try to reach the source of the song, no matter what dangerous obstacles are in the way of the path. Their voices have a lighter side. While someone listens to the mermaid's song, they forget their pain, their sorrow and rage until the singing ceases. Their songs are capable of empowering the listener, as well as weakened them, or occasionally put them to sleep. * Sonic scream - A mermaid's voice can also be used as a sonic weapon, capable of stunning or outright killing anyone or anything that threatens them. * Weather Manipulation – Just as a mirror shows reflections, the weather, according to mythology, mirrors a mermaid's emotions, particularly anger or frustration. Mermaids can control the weather and summon storms which can range in severity from a shower of rain to terrible tempests, typhoons and hurricanes capable of destroying entire coastlines. Due to their affinity with water, merfolk can control water-related weather like snowstorms, hail and snow. A mermaid's storm can defy the laws of nature and they can conjure miniature tempests in concealed environments like a house, cavern or even a bottle. A mermaid's weather powers grant her limited control over its various aspects, including wind, thunder, snow, sleet and lightning. Weaknesses * Dehydration * Fire * Sunlight - If exposed to sunlight for too long, a mermaid can dehydrate and burn up * Ambergris - According to mythology, if someone uses ambergris and gestures towards a mermaid, she will fall under a love spell for as long as the scent of ambergris remains * S'''onar: '''Mermaids have the same range of hearing as dolphins and whales. Sounds that can harm cetaceans will harm merfolk. Depending on the strength of the sound, artificial sonar can knock a mermaid out cold. Known Mermaids Category:Supernatural Category:Species Category:Mermaids